Payne Denman, a local and State Champion DCHS High School golfer has advanced to continue playing in the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship.
The second round of stroke-play qualifying wrapped up Tuesday after a day of intermittent showers and swirling wind on the 7,100-yard, par-71 Old Course. The weather certainly made circumstances harder for Denman yesterday, as it was extremely rainy and windy with standing water in some places. These conditions were better suited for a British Open instead of a U.S. Junior Amateur.
Payne shot 74 on Monday and 77 on Tuesday, giving him a 2-day total of 151. This score was low enough for him to be included with the 64 players to advance from the tournament field of 155. Therefore; he will start match-play competition today (Wednesday). This year’s Junior Amateur Tournament is being played in Bedminster, NJ at the Trump National Golf Club.
More tournament details and scoring can be viewed at: www.usjunioram.org
Denman, who claimed the TSSAA Class A-AA State Tournament Championship, last fall will be a senior this year at DeKalb County High School.
The USGA inaugurated the U.S. Junior Golf Tournament in 1948 to determine the best Junior golfer in the United States. Denman’s qualifier round was played at Old Fort Golf Course in Murfreesboro. Three players were selected there. Other qualifiers were held across the United States. Players from 40 states are represented & 10 from foreign countries.
The Junior Amateur is among the most difficult of all USGA championships to win, because of two factors; the age limit and the tremendous number of fine young players who enter each year. Only one player, Tiger Woods has won the Junior Amatuer more than once, winning in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
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